The Man Behind the Disguise
by klcm
Summary: A case breaks up an intimate moment between Morgan and Garcia
1. Halloween Fun

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N:**_So provisionally an ONEshot, but I have an idea, so we'll see if I can run with... until then, let's have some Halloween'y fun!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat anxiously waiting on the moment that Derek would step out dressed as in a potential Halloween costume. She was literally bouncing in her seat with excitement with what he was going to come out in next, but nervous at how turned on she might get as a result – after all anything on Derek Morgan was a major turn on. Already she had seen him dressed up as a 50's mobster, Superman and not so hilariously a clown. She still wasn't impressed with that stint. Especially as he knew her affiliation with clowns wasn't a desirable one.

She stood and went over to mirror and gave herself a once over again. Derek and her had been picking costumes for most of their lunch and after he had given her Marilyn Monroe, she had sent him with something that was nowhere near _Halloween'y_.

Catching the curtain to the fitting area moving just behind her, she spun around and laughed at Derek's unimpressed expression.

"Happy Birthday, Mr President," She spoke teasingly in a tone reminiscent to that of Marilyn Monroe as Derek stood dressed in what should've been the fancy dress shop's best Barrack Obama outfit. When in actual fact he looked like just a supporter.

"Wrong president," Derek teased her, and then looked down, flicking the badge on the collar of the tux. "You realise, the only bit of correlation to this being anything like Obama is this badge? Without it I'm just a dude in a suit."

"Ah, but what a hot one at that," She said as she grabbed her next outfit and headed towards the fitting rooms.

Derek walked over to the mirror and waited on Penelope – both switching roles again. "Can we just not give up on Halloween?"

"No can do," Penelope called back through the velvet curtain as she undid the zip to her dress.

Derek sighed, undoing the buttons to the suit, taking it off the jacket and then turning to pace, "I said it once, I'll say it again – I love the idea of getting a few films and chilling with a honey."

"Oh yeah," Penelope started, "Who would this honey be?"

"You," He replied simply and walked over to curtain, "You better not had doubted it."

Penelope pulled the curtain back and raised her eyebrows at him sexily, "Well, I might have other plans." She said as she pushed past him and went to the mirror. "Well it's been a while since I wore a black wig," She commented as she sat it straight on her head.

"Cle-o-pa-tra," Derek drooled as he stepped up behind her, looking at the outfit of the Egyptian queen as Penelope fitted it perfectly. "It's a name I can pull apart like Pen-nel-lop-pe."

Penelope giggled and turned back to him. "You have too much time on your hands," She told him and went and grabbed his next outfit. She knew her and Derek were closer than ever at that moment, but it wasn't just their friendship that was entirely healed. Her heart throbbed for him once more. The way her heart beat told her that she was very much in love with Derek all over again. "Go on action man," She told him and handed over the outfit and its separate entireties. She didn't give him an opportunity to fight; she just pushed him towards the fitting room and pulled the curtain across for the umpteenth time. She knew they were on borrowed time; they had already gotten a lengthened lunch as it was, but neither was wasting time. Especially with their luck. They had more chance of getting a case to end this lunch early than this lunch ending at the time it should.

Looking up as Derek's hand came around the curtains edge to pull it back and she held her breath. Her lungs constricted as she watched him step out into the light and she couldn't help but allow the heat of pleasure wash over her as he stood as an actual action man in khaki camouflage pants, a _tight _tank top and strips of bullets crossing over his body.

"Oh, my own life sized army man," Penelope said impressed as she smiled like a Cheshire cat after she gained some composure, "Ever think about coming into work like this, Stud?"

Derek stepped in closer to her, "Ever think about coming into work as a real life sex kitten instead of just playing one?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," She replied jokingly and smirked even harder, "I am _always _a sex kitten."

"Hmm, I certainly cannot disagree with you there," Derek told her and the backed away. "However good you think it looks, it's not right."

"Shame," Penelope pouted disappointedly at him.

"What's next?" Derek asked as he started to take off the fake artillery of the army outfit. He watched as she smirked and stood in front of him, eyeing him up and down.

"How about-" She paused as she walked slowly away, "-a cowboy, Handsome?" Penelope purred as she went over to the railing that she had already eyed up. "I'll be your cowgirl if you put these on," She said as she turned back to him, a pair of chaps held up in front of her, the biggest tease of a grin on her ruby red lips. "Whatcha say?"

He chuckled and leant in, "Never gonna happen. Not with your dirty mind around."

"Oh, silly man, I've seen you multiple times in chaps," Penelope teased him and then grabbed a pair of glassed from one of the cabinets and took her glasses off and put them on, "Jock and geek? Pretty apt for us two," Getting a head shake she replaced her glasses and looked around thoughtfully and giggled to herself. "Mickey and Minnie Mouse!" She turned back to him with a big Mickey head and matching costume, "Just for fun!"

"I'm telling you now, we are not going to Emily's party like that," He pointed to the massive head under Penelope's arm.

Penelope pouted, put her head to the side and looked at him pleadingly, "Try it on, for me?" She asked innocently and watched his expression shift. "Please?"

"Fine," He gave in, "But I am not going out of this shop in it though," He relented and took the costume from her and went in back into the fitting room, Penelope quickly going into the one next to him to change into the Minnie Mouse one.

No conversation was conveyed as they got ready. They just waited until the moment of unveiling.

The moment they took one look at one another they both burst out laughing at the ridiculousness.

"I like them," Penelope commented, not entirely convincingly, but near enough. She tapped her finger to her chin as she eyed Derek's costume up and down and tried to stifle a laugh. "They're the first two that have made us laugh and match at the same time."

"That might be true," Derek agreed, "but I could see you as more of a Greek goddess."

Penelope smiled brightly, "Mmm you could be my Greek body guard," She licked her lips and raised her eye brows at him encouragingly, "Or a gladiator." She then watched his expression, how she held his attention so well, "Armour melded to your body, and those little shorts, think they're called _subligaculums_ - They'd show off your thigh muscles so well, Handsome."

"You've been thinking about this haven't you?" Derek asked rather impressed. However, he still had Penelope dressed _(or undressed – either way it still had the same effect)_ as a true Goddess in his mind.

"I do my research well," She told him seriously, her smirk unmoved.

Derek chuckled and pulled her closed to him, "Are we actually gonna find a decent joint outfit idea?" Derek asked as he looked down at the costume, his body already overheating at the mere weight of it. "I can't get my groove on, and win my girl if I'm boiling now can I?"

"Well I do call you _Hot_ Stuff for a reason..." She told him and he laughed at her. "But we do look stupid," She gave in as her body temperature sky rocketed.

The shrill of Derek's phone rang out from his jean pocket as they sat on the chair in his changing room. Disappointedly, Derek went and grabbed it. He was actually going to kiss her. Finally ignite what was waiting to burn forever in them, but the moment just died.

"Yeah JJ?" Derek answered quickly placing the phone on speaker for Penelope to hear and he walked back over to her, "What's up?"

"Guys, we caught a case," JJ told them regrettably down the phone. "This one's pretty bad. Seems to have a thing with Mickey Mouse costumes."

"Okay," Derek said and frowned, "We'll be back as soon as." He snapped the phone and saw the disappointed look on Penelope's face as their lunchtime fun came to abrupt end.

"Well that's that idea out of the window," Penelope grumbled as she headed back to her side of the fitting room to take off the Minnie Mouse costume. She knew they would have next to no time to find a costume and close a case this close to Halloween.

Now she was going to have to wear last year's costume again.

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	2. Messing With Disney

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N:**_So the dynamics of the story have changed! In deciding to continue it's no longer all humour, but it will essentially be romance driven, just very case and crime driven now as well! Hope you all like! _

_Thanks for all of the reviews! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Well that's Disney ruined," Penelope grumbled as she picked her things up and readied to leave the conference room to get a head start on this case. She had her duties to do now the briefing was over. Even with a sickly feeling sitting in her stomach, she was prepared to go above and beyond as always. For now she was going to have to watch the team leave while they went out and chased the bad guy once more.

Derek watched her from the doorway as she put the files in a pile, followed by her laptop, then her iPad followed by her notebook and fluffy, flowery pen. He smirked as she finally looked up and drank in his presence as he stood in the room's doorway.

"Shouldn't you be heading for the airstrip right about now?" She asked as she grabbed her little pile and held it up to her chest and headed towards the door.

"I should," Derek replied stopping her to take the things off of her. He then turned and led the way to her office, "But I felt I should just check in with you first."

"Why would you need to do that, Hot Stuff?" Penelope asked as she casually followed him, "I'm fine. You know me. It's just another case."

"Right," Derek said and turned to her, "Just another case? Like all of our others have the victims dressed up as Mickey Mouse yeah?"

"It's Halloween," She shrugged as she rushed forward to punch in the key code to her door, "I was waiting for the sickest of the sickest to come out to play. I'm just glad I don't have to see under the costumes."

"There's a trade mark, Baby Girl," Derek let her down gently. "That's why I'm here," Derek continued, "Hotch wanted me to show you what we're dealing with _under_ the costumes."

Penelope slumped down into her chair and sighed sadly, "People can't just be friendly anymore."

Putting his hands to her shoulders, he rubbed them a little, releasing some of the tension in them before leaning down, "You need to see it in case you find it anywhere else that relates to it. The style and position that is."

"Seeing a bloodied Mickey Mouse five times was enough for this girl," Penelope moaned as Derek pushed her to her desk and then grabbed her iPad and started to sort through the photos for the case. "On a scale of one to uber disgusting how bad is it?"

"It's just a bit of branding left on the vics when he's done with them," Derek said mindlessly as he flicked thought the photos, "Can you get up photo forty three?"

Penelope didn't reply, she just clicked a few of the keys and the picture appeared in front of them.

Derek didn't miss Penelope's little hesitant intake of air as she prepared to look and he noticed her gaze dropping down to her keyboard a little more as she tried to gather some composure before she looked back up and prepared to take in the image of what it was she was looking for exactly.

"One look," Derek guided her, "I'll keep your focus and you don't have to look anywhere else."

Penelope nodded and looked up slowly. She noticed the branding right away and to make her life easier, made a cropped copy of it so she wouldn't have to take notice of any of the gory detailing around it.

"Is that Minnie Mouse?" She asked as she took a little more notice of the cutting.

"Sure is," Derek replied honestly as he looked over the photos. His attention firmly on the case he was going to be flying out too.

"Isn't that a card there too?" Penelope asked as she pointed to the corner of the original picture, just under the victim's foot as it remained up on her screen.

"Can you magnify that at all, Goddess?"

Penelope smirked, "As if you doubted it, Mon Cher!" She chirped as she hit a few keys swiftly and then zoomed in on the part of the photo in question, "It looks like a Mickey Mouse head."

"Get another one of the murders up for me a moment, P," Derek advised, his mind clocking on the details, mulling over the possibilities of all of this. He waited for Penelope to bring one of them up on another screen and he immediately picked out an area of interest, "There it is again."

"So what are we looking at?"

"He's leaving a calling card," Derek alerted her and his brow furrowed, "But we just don't know who for."

"What if," Penelope started thinking, realising quickly that she had spent way too long with a bunch of profilers that their skills had finally taken affect and had her profiling away, "it's a cry out for help?"

"How?" Derek questioned.

"Well think about it," Penelope started and looked up at him, "What does Disney mean to most of us?"

Derek didn't need to think twice, "Childhood."

"Exactly," Penelope said, "Don't most Unsubs have some sort of kooky history with the families? Reid usually rambles so many facts about it that I get lost half of the time."

Nodding, Derek mulled the idea, "We've seen it so many times before, but this time we have the calling card and the branding now, not a few murders down the line." Derek didn't cut her theory short, "There's always some sort of significance, but we need to suss that out."

"What if, because of Minnie Mouse, it's to someone he's in love with? I mean, Mickey and Minnie were in love. We were dressed as them and there was that almost kiss. I saw it Derek," Penelope almost gushed the ending as she spoke about love, even in this matter, her little heart couldn't help but think of happily ever afters. Plus, she had seen how Derek had looked at her throughout their entire lunch, and it mirrored her exact feelings.

Derek couldn't suppress a smile at that, at how romantic Penelope got even at the most inappropriate times – at how she knew his ulterior motives. "You are amazing," Derek said and kissed her on the lips appreciatively, his hands going to cup her cheeks in his hands. "Pretty impressive if I must say so. I think I've got something to go and share with the team now."

"I like to try," Penelope told him before she grew serious and melancholy again. "However, I'm still having a hard time as to what Mickey Mouse ever did to get this type of reincarnation. Why he couldn't have just left the branding and the card – why the overkill?" Penelope sat and tried to make sense of the matter. "I mean some of our UNSUBs you can really understand why they do what they do in comparison with their mentality, but this, this is just pure innocence made into something that is just so-so," Penelope growled and snapped her pen as she tried to make some form of understanding.

"Chill," Derek soothed her in his low, husky tone, his breath hot on her skin. "We'll have those answers for you, but there is no need to get so emotional over this."

"It's Disney, Derek, of course I'm emotional!" Penelope cried out at him.

"Okay, okay," Derek responded a little too amused, "You have a right to, but getting uptight is not going to help us solve this and, Baby, you break anymore pens and you're gonna have to go without." He saw her tense expression melt into a smile at that and he grinned, "For now, seeing as that is a rare looking card, maybe we can kill this list a little and get somewhere with this. Like you said, it's gotta be a call out to a family member or someone close."

Nodding, Penelope spoke gently, "Travel safe?"

"Like I travel any other way, Baby Girl," Derek told her as he stood up as he phone started to go off and he realised he was a lot longer than he was warned to be.

"I swear to God, Derek, if there are seven dwarves or any dead Cinderella's turning up dead I will be after giving that psycho a poison apple of my own!" Penelope grumbled loudly as Derek prepared to leave.

"I don't think attacking all of Disney is this guys MO – just the mouse," He told her and kissed her cheek goodbye.

"You can never be certain with these people, Morgster!"

Penelope was satisfied with being left with the sound of Derek's chuckle reverberating in her head.

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	3. For the Love of a Case

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N:**_So I am going real 'crimey' with this, for once! Hope you enjoy, thanks for all of the reviews =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"So I looked up other cases and cross referenced Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, the calling card and the branding and all I can say is that this icky person definitely is a cut above the rest," Penelope said hours later after she was through digging and delving. "Seriously, there isn't even anything close to this in any of the databases."

"Right so we know we're not dealing a copy cat," Hotch commented, "Is there any other cases that used costumes at all?"

"Well sure, but none that are at this magnitude. None of them are this continuous and no other case has this amount of mortality that is near identical. This guy is a whole other brand of kooky, Boss Man."

"There's gotta be something about Mickey Mouse that is the reason behind this," JJ commented, her voice proving how deep in thought she was as she mulled over the new information they had.

"What we could be looking at is someone with Monomania," Reid cut in, "Typically it means that the person in question has a single pathological preoccupation in what could be perceived as a sound mind." He shuffled through the paperwork on the table, "If you look at the photos and the reports, nothing else was touched, and the most care was about the costume, not the victim. There was no subsequent robbery to follow these deaths."

"So Mickey Mouse is definitely the preoccupation," Derek spoke up as he grabbed a photo. "How can this many of the same costume be bought without it being noticed. Surely they're from the same place to all be identical."

"Ah Mon Cher, let me shed some light here," Penelope burst in over the speaker phone. "Did you know that Mickey Mouse is the fourth most popular outfit to be bought around this time of year? I mean all ages, all sizes, doesn't matter. Most shops have to double up on the produce just so they don't lose sale. Some costumers even buy bulk in aid of themed parties – all over the states."

"Well that's that lead killed," JJ mentioned nonchalantly.

"Exactly and believe me there are more than a dozen cases of bulk buys. That lead runs right into a big, fat dead end." Penelope let them down, but she had to smile to herself because she knew she couldn't ring them and just leave them high and dry like that. "However, I did find out about that calling card that's being left. There's only about forty of them in the country. Rare right?"

"Right," Emily answered back, waiting on more knowing that Penelope had it.

"Well according to public records of Disney, yes the one and only Disney, these specific cards were won by children around the early 1990's. Year of 1992 to be exact," Penelope finished with a sigh, "Rarer right?"

"Any idea how they were won?" Rossi asked back.

"Bit like Charlie and the chocolate factory, my noble Italian. People, mainly children bought any Hershey chocolate goodness and if they found the card they got free entry into Disney Land Resort that year."

"Garcia, can you forward the list of noted winners? I'm guessing our Unsub is possibly on that list," Hotch asked as he mentally pieced together the pieces of this case that they had.

"Already on its way," Penelope said after a few key strokes. She paused her actions and then released more information, "I don't want to be the Debbie Downer right now, but I'm going to have to be. Even though we have a lot of potential goodies to go on, about nine of the forty cards were never recorded. Therefore, we have no complete forty. The five previous deaths were on that list."

"But we do have thirty one people. We can still save lives," Hotch commented as he realised that although they had a lot of information they weren't closing in on the Unsub himself.

"Just holler me if you need anything else, my amigos," Penelope chirped down the line, "Garcia out!"

Hotch looked at his team, he knew they were getting tired and with less and less evidence they were running on air. "JJ, I need you to pull together a press conference. We need to get what could potentially be our MO out there for the public to be away," Hotch instructed clearly. Morgan go through the list, highlight people who are in the California areas, get on to Garcia and see if any, if not all, of those people are still in this area. Cross of the five victims we have already." Turning to Emily and Reid, "I need you two to get a copy and see if any of the people on the list have any previous history of any psychological conditions, anything that might be key to pinpointing them. Rossi and I will go back to the most recent crime scene and see if there is anything out of the ordinary that we might have missed. He cannot be that good."

The entire team split up, everyone doing their jobs.

It wasn't long before Derek set up the laptop and had Penelope on webcam; they knew that this was the only way to be quick and effective when he knew that he, and Reid and Emily needed her help and expertise.

"Hey Baby Girl," Derek said as he used the moments alone while Reid and Emily got the copies to see how she was holding up. He was surprised at how alert she was, but he could see she was ready for a break. "We need your magic."

Penelope smiled, "You always need my magic, Sweet Cheeks," she retorted at him and offered him a warmer smile. "Derek?"

"Yeah, Baby?" He asked her.

"There's something I wanted to tell you earlier but we got distracted with the case," She looked at him coyly and smiled, "God I wanted to kiss you earlier." She began to watch his face as he began to smile brighter and brighter. "I think I'm in love with you, Derek. I know you're on a case and this is stupid really, but I can't stop thinking about back at the fancy dress shop and then about every other moment we have shared and, Christ," She put her head in her hands, "Idée stupide."

"You ever wonder why I love coming home so much from cases? Or why I don't mind a new day at work?" Derek asked her and watched her remain in the same position. "Look up at me, Penelope," He watched her remain unmoved, "Now." Slowly her head raised up and he greeted her with a big smile, "I wanted to kiss you as much as you wanted to kiss me earlier, Baby. It's hard not to want to and had this damned case not have happened I would've made good on that moment. Don't doubt that I don't feel the same, Penelope. I am in love you with you."

"You are?" Penelope asked him wearily.

"God I've always loved you and after this case I will so be showing you how much," Derek replied with a big smile. "I won't ever make you feel like telling me was a stupid idea." He then winked at her, "My French is picking up, Baby."

"Well I'll have to whisper new French nothings into your ear to show you how much I love you," Penelope purred at him seductively. "For once I can actually follow through on that, oh man of mine."

"About time," Emily commented as she came into the screen having heard the majority of the conversation, "Hey PG."

"Hey my raven haired beauty," Penelope chirped, hoping her blush would disappear sooner rather than later. "Hey Sweetie," she said as Reid came into view. "Let's get down to business eh?"

"Sounds good, Princess," Derek said taking his list. "Got anything new your end?"

"Nada," Penelope answered, "However, I have an alert for any cases that turn up like this so I'm just sitting here twiddling thumbs."

"Well we have a way to work you, Baby," Derek started and his eyes glinted with tease, "And hard."

"Don't you always, Handsome?" Penelope asked with a smirk, ready to work. "Whatcha got for me?" She asked and settled into working with her team, this time knowing that when Derek got home, she was one of his reasons.

As the day lapsed by, Penelope could tell the team were becoming less and less hopeful. The crime scenes they had held no DNA apart from the victims and their families, and the only leads they had were drying up on them fast.

It wasn't until the bleep of her alert told her that there was another murder that she felt hopeful that they might get something from this one. Immediately she rang Derek's number, nerves raising up within her.

"Garcia, you're on speaker so behave," Derek teased down the phone.

Although Penelope's reply was far from humorous.

"Guys," Penelope said the moment the phone was picked up, "There's a body been found in Quantico."

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_Idée stupide – Stupid idea_


	4. Turning Point

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N: **_I know these chapters aren't regular, but that's not because I've hit writer's block, I'm just spacing these out! So I hope you enjoy this and thank you for all of the amazing reviews! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Walking back into the bullpen, the team could see Penelope in conference room already. Heading up they found the room ready for their arrival and she spun around to look at them.

"Hello my superheroes," Penelope chirped, but her face remained completely serious. "There are more deaths," Penelope told them, "Ranging across from California to here. All dressed the same. All of which have the card. Someone's wiping out these Disney winners one by one and now they're here."

"How many more potential victims in this area?" Hotch asked as they all looked at the new deaths that were displayed on the board in front of them and in the files on the desk.

"Well around here, the DC area, and other surrounding areas there's roughly about seven potential victims," Penelope replied, "We have trackers out on anyone else on the list, alerting them about what's happening." She notified them; keeping in how thankful she was to finally have them home. "Since the first lot in California, the death counts gone up from five to twenty."

Watching her walk over to the board, she spun it around so the other side was on show. They all eyed up the map that was pinned to it and how each new death from California spread across in almost a line. There were no clusters anymore, just one long, crazy line that ranged across and ended with Virginia. Or for now at least. Now they saw where the additional fifteen victims had come from.

"There's something here that he wants," Derek said as he went to the map, his eyes trailing across the red line that Penelope had mapped out previously. "There's no consistency with victimology, there's no correlation except for the card and the costume. He's after something."

"Until we work out what though we need to focus on the death toll and seeing as they're so wide spread, we need to look at the ones here in Virginia and nearby. Something has got to have slipped up along the way."

"He's getting way too confident by the looks of things," Rossi doubted for a moment, "But he's murdered too many in too short a time for them all to be perfectly executed to say the least."

"Since Jayje did the conference earlier we've only had two people step up and claim themselves as one of the missing nine," Penelope responded, jumping in. "They've got protective custody on their homes and are very much alive and kicking as we speak. However, we're nearly down below half of these people still being alive."

JJ spoke up after looking at the files and listening to Penelope give them the information, "He's got to have help surely."

Reid shook his head, "Not exactly. It depends what type of psychological disorder they have. Some forms of schizophrenia and multiple personality disorders mean that an Unsub can be capable of up to triple what an Unsub without the disorder is."

"So we're potentially looking at someone who has schizophrenia, multiple personalities or some other type of mental disorder-"

"I'm saying we're looking at someone who is suffering from broken psychosis of something along those lines," Reid added on alerting them to the severity of this Unsub.

"Garcia," Hotch said making Penelope snap back into reality, "How many on the list had previous psychological help?"

"About five," Penelope said, "All were released from any form of help."

"I want you to go back into the cases and see what mental disorders they had," Hotch instructed Penelope and she nodded back. "Derek, Reid I want you to go to the crime scens an hour away, Rossi and I will take the ones less than hour away," He then turned to Emily and JJ, "I want you to take the ones in and around this area."

Everyone nodded, ready to get going again.

"Let's get to work," Hotch said as everyone went their separate ways.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat staring at the card when she felt large hands come over her shoulders and she groaned out in pure pleasure. It had been three days without any movement in the case, both on the killer's front and that of the team's. Now she was starting to feel the pressure weighing on them to work harder.

"How you doing?" Derek asked as he leant in over her shoulder, his hands still plying residual pressuring over her shoulders.

"Same ole same ole," Penelope replied honestly, "Just a little tired that's all." She turned in her seat, falling out his grasp to look up at him. "Sometimes I really dislike this job. It ruined a perfectly good day."

"We can make it better," Derek told her, "When you go home we can go to a diner, lap up some _alone _time afterwards."

"I'm not going home, Handsome," Penelope told Derek and immediately saw Derek fighting himself to force her home, "This case is too intense and now it's _here_. I won't get any rest." Penelope continued and gave him a sad smile, "This is too close for comfort."

"But you need to rest, Baby," Derek told her, "You can't wear yourself out over this."

"I just want it closed so I can rest," Penelope told him and offered him a self assured smile, but she quickly realised that she hadn't fooled him at all.

"What else is bothering you?" Derek asked as he moved her chair and then leant on her desk, completely opposite her now.

Penelope shrugged and turned back to her screens, "I recognise this card. It's more than a little familiar and it's just bugging me right now. I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Any of the names on the list ring a bell?" He asked her and she shook her head, her gaze looking at him. "Not at all?"

"Not at all," She responded, splitting the sentence up in frustration.

Looking up at the card, Penelope tried her hardest to recognise it fully. She needed, for peace of mind, to realise why this card was more than a little familiar to her. It wasn't when she first started the case, but now it was glaring at her every time. As though begging her to remember it. She had tried to feign that it was because she had been looking at it over and over, but now she was pretty sure it was more than that.

Derek watched Penelope. He sat and watched her as though he could see each and every mental clog moving over and over again in her head as he trawled over this case.

"I do know this," Penelope all of a sudden said, "I have seen this before."

"Right," Derek said as he sat up and leant in, "Remember where from?"

Penelope let her shoulders slump as she shook her head, "No."

"C'mere," Derek said and he stood up. He couldn't force her to remember and he couldn't do much more than ease her mind and get her mind back on track. Pulling Penelope to her feet, he pulled her close to his body, "You're wonderful," Derek told her and kissed her delicately on the lips. "You're amazing," He kissed her again, "And you're all mine." He told her with a kiss, "For life."

"Mm," Penelope responded as he pulled back from the kiss. "God I love you."

"I love you too," He told her and then released her from his grips, "Think you can work magic now?"

"I know I can," She replied, "You best get going. Don't keep Kid Genius waiting too long."

"I'll be back before tonight." Derek promised and left her with one more kiss to linger on her lips.

Settling into her workload, Penelope felt empowered all over again. She felt capable and like she had some sort of lead to go on. Spending just a little time alone with Derek was all she needed to get her through this. That and being told the man that stolen your heart yells ago loved you wholeheartedly.

Penelope's eyes grew wide as she looked at the picture on her phone, her feet already carrying her towards the bullpen in the hope someone out of the team was back.

_Remember this?_ _JG_, Was all the text under the picture said as the card was shown in a male hand, in her old bedroom back in California.

She had been given one of those cards when she was fourteen by a boy that had claimed undying love for her and she hadn't reciprocated.

She now realised why she recognised the calling card.

She just never expected a high school crush to ever escalate this far.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	5. Fixing It All Together

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N:**_Right another chapter to leave you all with... no update until Monday at the earliest for this! However, this chapter really flexed what I remembered when I was in school studying psychology over two years ago! _

_Thanks for all the reviews as always =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"How could I not have noticed that?" Penelope asked as she paced back and forth. "I said I recognised the card, Derek. Why didn't I recognise it sooner?" She stopped and looked at Derek for answers. She couldn't even withhold the terror from escaping in her eyes.

She was the reason he was here.

"Repressed memories," Reid said in response to Penelope's dilemma. "The way you left California is good enough reason for you to repress some memories. It's a coping mechanism of the brain."

"But I think I'd remember that card and James Garratt," She pointed out in frustration. "I have done nothing for the past week but look at that list, and study that card. I should have seen it right away."

Derek took Penelope's hand, "What was it about him that stood out, Baby?" Derek pushed for answers. She might not have remembered, but she was remembering now. "Something about him that made you realise he was attracted to you."

"He had a crush on me in High School," Penelope replied as Derek finally calmed her enough to sit down at his desk. "That was it. He had a huge crush, everyone knew about it. Tried to give me the Disney card he had won, but that was it."

Reid had been quiet for a moment or two before he broke in with a mumble, "John Moore."

"What was that, Reid?" Hotch asked after Reid kept to himself.

Snapping his head up, "John Moore, a behaviourist. He presented 'The Obsessive Love Wheel'," he said and looked at Hotch more intently as his mind brought all of the facts he needed to the front of his mind. "It's a basic hypothetical circle; it illustrates four stages of obsessive relational progression as part of relational dependency."

"English, Kid," Derek pushed, his place still remaining behind Penelope.

"Basically, people who are afflicted with relational dependency like love addictions, high school crushes, often follow the pattern of the wheel."

"So what are looking at if this is the case?" Rossi asked, feeling like they were actually getting somewhere with this after all.

"First phase is characterised by an instantaneous and overwhelming attraction to another person. They find reasons to be dependent on someone usually stemming from the interest showing some sort of attention to them."

Hotch cut in quickly, "Penelope, did Garrett just all of a sudden change towards you?"

"A little," She supposed as she tried to remember back, "He was struggling in some classes. I offered to help him out. I basically became a lunch time tutor to him."

"You showed an interest in him though, Penelope," Reid started, "That started the circle off."

"I was barely fifteen, it can't be possible," Penelope tried to make sense of this. The boy that had followed her around for three years was behind this. "I wasn't going to date someone I had no real connection with."

"The mind doesn't work like that though," Reid told her, he could see how heavy this was weighing on her. "It's an instant attraction. Did he start acting like your boyfriend, start having illusions that you were a couple at all?"

Penelope nodded, "He was convinced we were more than we were."

"You made a commitment to him though," Reid pointed out. "That's the turning point." He took in Penelope's expression and could tell she wanted to know more, wanted this to lead to a solution. "The third phase is the obsession phase. Did Garrett shower you with expensive gifts at all, but was distant whilst doing so?"

"All the time," Penelope replied truthfully, "That's when he gave me the card. He handed it over along with the ticket pass to Disney Land and left me alone."

"He withdrew," Reid concluded, "This is the unhealthy bit of the obsession. They give attention, but then distance themselves from it. Did he hand you gifts then seemingly run from your affection back?" Penelope replied with a short nod.

"What about the final stage, Reid?" Hotch asked, knowing that this was only going to get worse as it went.

"It's known as the Destructive phase," He told them and answered all of their fears. Like all mental disorders this one turned ugly. "It's a form of deep depression. The person with the disorder becomes angry, and revenge seeking towards his love interest realising that the relationship isn't all that it was worked up to be in their mind. Typically they start to use drugs, drink copious amounts of alcohol, comfort eat, anything to heal the emotional pain." Reid looked at Penelope once more and saw her deep in thought. "The thing is, is that he would have entered this stage the moment Penelope turned him down. He's just been waiting on a trigger."

"No," Penelope shook her head snapping back to reality once more, "No, it can't be. We were fifteen when it started."

"There's no age limit on mental disorders," Reid pointed out simply doing nothing to ease her panic.

"When did you turn him down publically, Penelope? What was the final time?" Rossi asked as he sat on the desk opposite Penelope.

Penelope felt her eyes water, "My parents' funeral."

"What happened?"

"We were just leaving," Penelope started and sucked in a deep breath as Derek slipped his hand onto hers for support. "He grabbed me and I snapped. He kept telling me he was sorry, over and over again. That he wished he could make it better for me." Penelope looked down at that moment as she remembered one of the hardest days of her life.

"It's okay, Baby Girl," Derek soothed, "At your own pace."

Penelope smiled, grateful to have Derek.

"He sat directly behind me during the service, and he wouldn't stop following me around. I remember I was standing on my own and he came up to me and he hugged me, and then kissed me and told me that was what I needed. I needed him to look after me. I snapped and told him to leave me alone. That I didn't love him and he was too full on. I told him to never, ever come near me again. I left California that night."

"He entered the Destructive Phase that moment," Reid told everyone sorrowfully. "We just need to work out his trigger.

"His mom died in a car crash earlier this year," Emily read from file and even she didn't take long to pin point the correlation between Penelope's parents death and Garrett's mother's. "Drunk driver."

"It's very clear he's entered the final stage wholly. He's entered the destructive phase of the wheel," Reid concluded almost regretfully and he went to read over Emily's shoulder. He quickly pointed it out, "Substance abuse. He has been in this phase since he was eighteen, and his mother's death was his trigger which turned him to homicide."

"Is there any countermeasures that can be done on confrontation with him?" JJ asked as she looked from Penelope's grief stricken face, the blame so clear and prominent on her friend's expression, "Any way to draw him out?"

"None," Reid answered, "Apart from one." He looked at Penelope, "He needs to be confronted with the main object of his desire."

"Oh hell no," Derek quickly stepped in, "We cannot use Penelope as bait."

"Derek, we'll cross that bridge if need be. We'll use Penelope if push comes to shove," Hotch calmed Derek down, and looked at Penelope. "Can you get a locator on any call you get on your cell, Penelope?"

"Sure can, Boss Man," Penelope replied, although reminiscent, it wasn't anything like her normal self it posed as a good cover up for the moment.

"It's more than likely he'll call you if he wants more contact so we need to be ready for that," Hotch said and Penelope just nodded and got to work.

Penelope sat and set up her laptop's so that any calls on her cell found a location for them to get to. The moment she had it sorted she got up and paced to get rid of her nervous energy. She knew that moment of confrontation was coming, but she hated the wait.

Or so she thought. The moment her phone rang with an unknown number she hated it more. She was just grateful she didn't have to accept the call.

"_Pen-Penelope?"_ That scared voice of a woman's voice rang out. The voice unknown to Penelope.

Everyone looked at Penelope, Rossi and Hotch urging to talk.

"Yes," She said leaning in shakily, "I'm here."

"_H-he wants you_," She replied, _"Please! He needs you here. That's the only way you'll break this."_ There was a pause.

"Tell her!" Came a gruff male voice, "Or I'll shoot."

"_He'll stop once he has you. He did it all for you."_

Penelope jumped as the call ended with a gunshot. She jumped again as her computer beeped several times as the location was found and everyone sprung into action. All of a sudden the calm, quiet was gone and chaos erupted as Hotch made orders and everyone listened.

"We've potentially got Garrett," Hotch said, stating the obvious, "Garcia, you stay here."

Derek took Penelope's hand and pulled her, kissing her and giving her encouragement all in one. He promised her he would take her home and make this easier for her when they were done – to ease her soul of this pain. He gave her something to look forward to. He gave her one last I love you before he followed everyone. Regrettably leaving Penelope behind alone.

One minute Penelope was nodding in shock agreement and the next she was watching them leave – still completely frozen to the spot. She looked down at the table by her and had no idea what to do. She went up into the conference and began to pace. They were heading into the lion's den and she had no idea what she needed to do. There were no leads to look, no follow up searches, she just had to wait.

Her phone ringing broke her from her trance.

Grabbing it, she looked at her phone, confused as to why Hotch was calling her and not Derek. Shakily she raised the phone to her ear, "Sir?"

"Garcia, there's a hostage situation. We need you."

Penelope's world spun then. If Derek wasn't calling her then her mind could only guess that he was the hostage. She didn't ask questions, she told Hotch she was on her way and then left.

She wasn't going to allow this man to destroy what could be potentially her best future ever.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	6. Talking You Down

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N:**_So it's taken a while to update, but it is here! Hope you enjoy and thanks as always =)_

_Oh! This is not influenced by the promo pictures for the episode "Hope". I actually had this idea brain waved (with my brother nonetheless!) when I got my Halloween prompt. Just a scary coincidence!_

_Anyhoo! Enjoy!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope felt like someone had ripped her heart out, taken it, and was holding it trapped in the palm of their hand tightly. That someone was James Garrett.

Her mind rallied over who was taken hostage and she knew that if it was Derek then she knew she was done for. As much as she loved everyone in her little family, she couldn't doubt that Derek was the one that kept the stability in her life; he was the one that knew her, could calm her, could love her.

Getting out of the car she started a quick pace the moment her eyes locked on Hotch. Nothing else mattered but getting to him and getting to Derek.

"Garcia," Rossi said as he caught her hand in his as she passed him making a direct beeline to Hotch.

"I need to get to Hotch," Penelope asked as she was dragged around to the back of the SUV. "Rossi-" She breathed out exasperated and heatedly.

"Put this on," Rossi told her as he pulled a bullet proof vest out of the back of the SUV.

"I don't need that," Penelope replied quickly, "I just need to get in there."

Rossi held the vest out for her, "He has a gun and he's not afraid to use it." He saw her resistance and started to undo it. Yet as that last statement registered he saw cold driven fear run itself up her body and take hold fiercely. "I'm not allowing you to go out there, Penelope, without this on."

"He'll know I've got it on though," Penelope pointed out to him, "He'll know and he'll change his plan. I've worked with you all too long to know the signs."

"Put it under your coat," Rossi advised her, "He won't have a clue."

"He will," She doubted, but sighed as Rossi shot her a look – one that she knew he wasn't going to back down and other options weren't up for discussion.

"Trust me, Bella," Rossi soothed her as he watched her relent and undo her coat, allowing the cold wisps of October air to whip around her once warmed body.

"I just need to get in there and get him out. Hotch rang, I know it's Derek."

"It's not Derek he has there," Rossi started to tell Penelope as he helped her do the vest up. He stilled and looked at her, "It's your brothers." He watched as all the blood seemingly drained from Penelope's face entirely.

"M-my brothers?" Penelope gasped and shook her head, "It's not Derek?"

Rossi shook his head, "No it's not Derek. Hotch rang because Derek was trying to talk Garrett down. He doesn't know you've been called yet."

"I need to get them out," Penelope spoke softly, her face so troubled in that moment. "It's my fault they're in there. I need to make this better."

"You go and talk to him, but you do not go to him. I mean it, Penelope, you do not go to him at any cost. He wants you, but you need to give him ultimatums. You need to tell him how it is. You need to distract him to get your brothers out and for us to apprehend him. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Penelope gulped deeply and Rossi grabbed her coat and held it open for her to step into it. "What do I, Dave? I've never done this before."

"Trust your gut," Rossi advised her. "Talk to him like you used to, like he's your friend. If that doesn't work, talk to him how you're comfortable. Get him to gain a sense of security with you again. Distract him, make him regret, make him love you again."

"Can I do this?" She asked as she seemed to become completely mindless with the new revelations. When it was Derek she was raring to go in there and hurt Garrett and whoever got in the way of her getting to him. Now it was her brothers she was terrified of this moment. After near enough two decades she was going to be faced with them and she didn't know if she was ready for this.

"I believe in you," Rossi replied honestly to her and gave her a small smile. "You're a lot more powerful than you think." He saw her nod a little at him then, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," She supposed and looked at him. She could read all the truths he was offering her and above all she could see the faith he had in her ability to do this.

There was only one more thing to do now.

Face Garrett and face her brothers.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Derek had his gun aimed on Garrett as he stood on the porch, the Garcia brothers dragged from the house and sitting together on the cold grass, bound and gagged. He was a loose cannon and he was waiting for his final trigger to give him enough reason to open up fire.

He saw movement from where Rossi had stood and when he looked out of the corner of his eye he saw the one thing that killed his concentration and cut off any viable logic. He couldn't scream at Penelope as she edged forward, he couldn't run at her. Protocol and training told him that any hasty movements would just make any Unsub jump straight to shooting.

All he could do was watch as she made her presence known.

"Penelope!" Garrett near enough screamed as he looked at her.

Penelope looked at Garrett and she saw the guy that had vied for her attention over and over again. He was still the same, except now there was a lunatic strike just exuding from his body. He looked like a crazed man ready to completely bend and break.

"I know what you've done," Penelope spoke out to Garrett. "I know you killed all those people."

"It was to get your attention, Penelope." He exclaimed almost excitedly as he realised she had taken notice. "I researched you, found out what you've been doing and I knew if I killed them your team would more than likely be called out to solve it. It was my only way to get close to you-" He paused and smiled brightly, "And it worked!"

"It did work, but what have my brothers got to do with this? Penelope asked, "You had my attention without them being involved. They aren't apart of this."

"They were the sealer. I knew that they would be the one thing that would draw you right out and into my arms," Garrett told her and smiled somewhat sadistically at her. "It worked. I know you haven't had contact, but you can have one last look at them, at what they've become before we make a life."

"Owen," Penelope started.

Garrett shook his head then, "I'll do anything, Penelope. Anything to start over. To make you love me."

"Let them go," She spoke softly, her eyes dropping a little to look at her brothers. "Please. It's me you want, not them."

Garrett thought for a moment or two before acting. "You can go," He said and kicked one of the brothers to alert him it was him that was going free. "And you." He kicked another and they both got up and ran to the sidelines. To the awaiting safety.

"George and Joel as well," Penelope bargained with him, "This goes no further until they're safe."

"They're safe with me," James tried to tell her, "Plus what will I have if they go?"

"Me. You can have me," She admitted to him sternly. "Just please, James."

"No!" He said aggressively then and his eyes widened. "Sorry, Penelope! I didn't mean to shout at you! I'll let them go when you come with me."

Penelope closed her eyes at the thought.

"We can run away, Penelope! Like I promised you at your parents' funeral. We can finally do it. We can get away and make that future like we were destined to do all those years ago."

"You know it won't happen like that," Penelope responded slowly and somewhat sadly. The sadness for the predicament that Garrett was in than anything else. "You know it can't happen like that."

James watched Penelope; he then looked back at the people all staring at him. The two released Garcia brothers included and he knew he had been tricked.

"You bitch!" He yelled at her and kept his gun steadily aimed at her.

"Put your gun down, Garrett!" Hotch yelled out fiercely. His aim sharpening on Garrett's temple.

"He said put it down, Man!" Derek called out, his blood boiling at this bastard for putting the barrel of a gun at Penelope.

"Sh-she lied to me!" Garrett said as he hand shook with uncontrollable anger. "I fell in love with her and she didn't even care one bit! I wasn't good enough! Even now, after doing this to make her notice me, I'm still not good enough! _She_ shouldn't be good enough for anyone after this!"

He shot Penelope then, and as a bullet from Hotch's gun hit him square in the chest, his gun fired another bullet her way and he fell to the ground.

Derek watched in horror as Penelope fell to the ground and remained unmoved, "Penelope!" He screamed out as he forgot about protocol and ran towards her unmoving body as it lay on the tarmac of the road. He watched Rossi get down beside her as he got closer and he skidded to his knees next to her completely gripped by terror.

"It's okay," Rossi told Derek as noticed the agent's fear, "She was wearing a vest."

Exhaling forcefully, Derek watched as Rossi undid Penelope's coat to reveal the vest beneath it and he saw the sun's glint on the two bullets as they sat in the fibres of the vest. One wedged right in front of her heart, the other on her abdomen, right above the last rib on her left side.

Groaning, Penelope began to open her eyes. She was finding it hard to breathe and think at the same time – both a painful act in their own rights. "Ouch," She moaned out as she tried to move a little.

"Stay still, Baby," Derek warned her gently as he stilled her motions. He couldn't stop smiling that they had solved this case and even though for a moment he had thought she was dead, he was relieved that she was alive to tell this tale.

"Kitten, we're just waiting on EMTs and we need you to get checked over."

"I'm fine," She said as she slowly put a hand to the back of her head to inspect the pinpoint to her headache. Feeling the lump already forming she pulled her hand back and noticed the blood, "Ouch," She moaned out again and then set her gaze on Derek. "This isn't heaven is it?"

Derek chuckled, "No it really isn't," He responded to her and brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Good," She mumbled as she tried to make her breathing a little strained, "Can I get this off?" She asked as she started to undo the Velcro of the Kevlar, "I can't breathe."

Rossi made haste undoing the other fasteners, but knew taking it off completely would aggravate Penelope's tender body. "You need to just breathe slowly, Penelope. We'll get this off as soon as, but for now I'm going to undo it."

"That any better?" Derek asked and he could hear her breathing clearing a little as her body seemed to recovery from most of the trauma. He didn't expect her to be okay right away, not after taking two bullets and then subsequently hitting the floor with force, but he wanted her to be less hurt than she was.

She nodded at him a little, "My brothers?" Penelope asked an EMT finally joined them and she got the affirmative from all three of the men now around her.

Derek took her hand and remained unmoved, as did Rossi, "They're out safe. Garrett didn't hurt any of them too bad."

"Too bad?" Penelope winced as the vest was entirely moved and the EMT to her immediately right inspected her already purpling skin.

"They're safe," Derek soothed, "That's all you need to worry about." Derek looked from Penelope to Rossi confused, "What were you thinking you were doing coming here?"

"Saving you," Penelope breathed out heavily.

After all, the idea of saving Derek was what had driven her to be so willing to talk Garrett down.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	7. What This Is

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N:**_ Right so I've left it nearly four days without updates, but here's another one for you =) Enjoy and thank you! _

_I apologise for mistakes in advance! I rushed to read this and post! Tiredness is not a friend =P _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"I'm fine," Penelope told the team as they all sat around watching her carefully, "Really!"

"It's not every day you take a bullet and walk away without drawing blood," JJ fretted, even now after being allowed to sit with Penelope she was still panicking.

"She did draw blood," Derek spoke up and looked at JJ, "What? She did. When she hit her head, it started to bleed."

"You know what I mean," JJ commented. After all, she had never expected Penelope to be this vigilant and quick off the mark hours after taking two bullets. She might not have the experience of taking a bullet, but she was away of what hitting your head felt like. She saw the familiar exhaustion that came with concussions, but she didn't see Penelope losing her battle to stay awake.

"I just want to say that Rossi's the hero in this," Penelope pointed out happily and saw Rossi begin to look confused, "It was you that forced the vest on me and it was you that gave me a pep talk before letting me go out there."

"I'd say you're a hero in your own right here," Hotch commented as he stretched out in his chair. He had already thanked Rossi for the job he had done prior to the confrontation. "Not many people would step up like you did out there, Penelope. It was admirable behaviour and you played hero for your brothers. You saved them."

Penelope blushed as the collective response was the same from everyone.

"It feels good to know I have my brothers back. Well almost," Penelope admitted to them. "I mean, I never thought it would happen, but now I think I'm going to have them around at long last."

"I think it's great news to have them," Rossi admitted, "We all need family."

"We are a family already don't forget," Emily pointed as confidently. "One of us goes down, we all do the same."

No one could disagree as they all settled into conversation. None of them were able to budge the image of the bullets hitting Penelope from their minds. All of them, but Rossi, were under any awareness that Penelope was wearing a vest when the gun went off the first time.

A knock came from the door, breaking the teams chat.

"We're not interrupting are we?"

Penelope became even more alert, pushing her aching body up the bed even against the pain in her torso and chest. She watched her brothers come into the room.

"How you feeling?" Joel asked and gave her a grin she had seen for years. When he had seen her yesterday, as she stood before them as some formidable force, he had to double take that this was his baby sister.

Penelope lifted the ice pack from her chest and looked down, "Achey, but I'm pain free for the mean time so I can't really complain." She said as she put the pack back to her chest and slumped down into the bed and pillows.

"It's good to hear," Adam spoke up and he felt nervous as all eyes seemed to be switching between him and his brothers. He was nervous anyway at having his sister back in front of him, but having six strangers staring didn't make this any easier.

"We just came to say thank you," Carl said with an awkward grin. His hand ran up and down his arm nervously. "You were the one that got us out of there."

"Really," Penelope said to start deflecting the attention, "It was nothing." Penelope ended and looked at her brothers. She could tell there was an alliance. Something she had missed out on. She noted now that Joel was definitely a Garcia now. He had picked up their stepbrothers traits over the years and she guessed she would have had she stuck around.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore," Adam spoke up quickly, shaking his head. "I can't stand here thanking you, making you feel better about what happened."

Joel stopped him for a moment, "I don't think this is a good idea, Adam."

Penelope looked at Adam and realised he was still the same brother he always was. He was still the one disliked her the most. He never wanted a sister, much less a baby sister and when her mother married his fathers. Adam had never been her biggest fan and right now she knew that view hadn't changed.

"It's your fault we're here," He continued to ignore his brothers. "We wouldn't have gotten kidnapped if it wasn't for you. We wouldn't even have know if you were dead or alive. Life would have been the same as it always had been without you. Even James having a meltdown was your fault and all because you wouldn't give the boy one date all those years ago."

"So why are you here? What are you saying this is?" Penelope asked cautiously as she felt her gut twist tightly. She wanted this moment to end as soon as because she knew she wasn't going to last much longer with keeping a front on.

"What we're saying is-" George started, but couldn't end the sentence. He was doubting this more and more.

"We don't want any further contact after we leave here," Adam finished off giving her an apologetic look as he finished for his brother. They had their reasons, but right now they were being ruled by what had happened, not how it ended.

No one had a chance to respond to that.

"Right," She said in response to them. The news barely registering problem. As she watched them turned to leave she just faltered completely and crumpled into a sobbing mess. It didn't take her long to feel Derek's arm wrap around her and hold her tightly.

He tried to calm her the best he could, but it wasn't any use. He watched the team excuse themselves and head home for the night. All of them respecting Derek and allowing him time to soothe Penelope the he could.

They'd be there tomorrow ready to help clear up the broken pieces left behind.

Derek held Penelope well after she had calmed. He knew she wasn't asleep, she was just in shock. He knew she wouldn't talk; she was too deep in thought. She was purely heartbroken at this new turn of events.

If there was one thing Derek suspected now, it was that Penelope wasn't feeling like her brothers hero anymore.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"I come baring discharge papers," Derek said and waved the paper work at Penelope. Immediately he saw her face light up. He had stood at the nurses desk just across the hall watching her. He had noticed how spaced out and in her own little world she looked. How the sadness had masked her features. Breaking the silence again he walked in further to the room, "Ready to go home now?"

"Yeah," Penelope replied quietly and sadly, "So ready."

Derek sat on the end of the bed for a moment, "You're coming back to mine is that okay?" Derek asked and saw Penelope look at him, her eyes begging him to let her just go to hers. "Doctor wants you looked after for another night at least. Plus I'm not sure I want you in that apartment alone anymore."

"I think I want to be in _that_ apartment alone," Penelope admitted and she couldn't hide the sadness that was sweeping through her. She knew Derek was asked to leave when visiting hours was over, but he had obviously waited for her to go to sleep because when she woke up he was gone.

"We both know you don't want to be alone. You just think you do," Derek told her and saw the agreement shoot through her face, "I know you too well, Baby Girl."

"Sometimes too well," Penelope replied and gave him a light smile. "Thank you for being here."

Derek smiled at her, "You're not losing me," He told her, "Ever."

"That's a real good thought, Derek Morgan," Penelope replied with a sincere smile. "I think we need to talk," She mentioned quickly. It was more about them than anything else. She needed to establish what they were before she proceeded with this.

"I agree and we'll talk about it later when you're feeling better, but for now I really want to get you out of here."

"Derek?" Penelope asked as Derek stood up and looked at her. She felt bashful for admitting this, but she was scared of this happening too quickly. "I might not ever want to leave you house if you take me back there with you," She told him, trying to make it sound playful.

Admittedly, that statement had ulterior motives woven within it. On one hand, she was more than a little in love with him. She was head over heels and she wanted nothing more than domestic bliss with him. On the other hand, she was hoping it was a ploy that would work at getting her to go home and hide away.

However, the statement he replied with shocked her all the more.

"Then don't ever leave there without me."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	8. Accepting The Past

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N: **_Sorry for keeping you all hanging! Here's a new chapter! Enjoy and thanks =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope wrenched the freezer door open, completely forgetting that the reason she was opening it was to get ice for her chest. Pausing for a moment, she gritted her teeth together and then reached in for either ice or a bag of peas. Either would suffice right at that moment.

"Lemme sort that," Derek said as he took her hand and led her away so he could he could wrap the icy packet up. "How is it today?" He asked as he turned to her.

Giving a little smile, Penelope tried gingerly to get the oversized jumper off with her good arm. Managing slowly, she let the material drop to the floor and she just stood there in the thin pyjama top she had gotten in the moment they had made it back to Derek's.

Derek immediately noticed what one night's rest had done with the what was known as the healing process.

Eyeing her skin, Derek traced the covering bruise to her chest and then allowed his gaze to drop as he saw the purple of the second bruise on her abdomen as well through her top. He knew how tender his body had been when he had taken bullets with a vest on in the past, and Penelope had taken two before being sent to the ground with impact.

"How's the head?" Derek asked her as he stepped towards her, grabbing a tea towel and gently put the bag of frozen peas to her tender chest.

"Still there," She said and smiled a little, "I really didn't intend to scare you so much, Handsome."

"I know," Derek told her truthfully, "I just never expect you to be that involved out on the field. You did it in Alaska; I never wanted to see it happen again."

"I won't promise to never do it again," Penelope vowed with a small smile full of tease. "I work on impulse."

Derek chuckled at that and couldn't help but hide his agreement. Penelope really did work on impulse and did stuff with the moment. "You go and sit down, I'll grab another bag for your stomach," He told her and kissed her forehead and turned away, but Penelope took his hand in hers and prevented him. He turned back to her and watched her for a moment, "What's up, Gorgeous?"

"When Hotch told me I had to get there because of hostages, I just saw you all there and I felt so sick to think that it was you, Derek, but when I got to the house you were standing there and I felt so relieved that it wasn't you that I never even thought about the people he had taken hostage. He took my brothers, but I was more relieved that you were safe."

"But when you found out it was them, you fought him to get them free, Penelope. That is your fault, them getting out is down to you and that's all that should matter at the end of the day," Derek told her and he cupped her face, "And I have never seen you look more powerful in my entire life."

"It showed," Penelope mumbled as her eyes clouded with tears, "They didn't want to know. It was my fault to them. It doesn't matter that they got out, I put them there in the first place. They don't want to know me."

"You did what every other teenage girl has done in their life. You turned a guy down, that's what we call life, but he took it personally. Your brothers will come around believe me. They cannot just walk away from you now. They may well leave, but they will have to live now knowing where you are in the world. It's their loss."

"You heard them at the hospital, Handsome," She sniffled, "They want no further contact with me. That shows me that I'm no one's hero. That makes it my loss not theirs."

Derek shook his head and cupped her face. "You might think it works like that, but it doesn't. Pen, we all doing things out of impulse. We do them, we think they're right, but in the long run the truth slowly comes back to bite us all on the ass. They are reeling from what happened yesterday, they are processing all of that and one day, and I mean one day soon, they will wake up and realise what they did."

"You talk a convincing talk, Handsome," Penelope said quietly and smiled at him. "I just thought I was getting them at long last."

"One day soon you will have them back," Derek vowed. He showed her how much he believed in that statement. "For now, we need to focus on you and getting you some rest."

"I'm fine," Penelope feigned, "Just sore."

"I'm calling the shots here," Derek told her sternly, "We are off for a couple of days and Hotch only wants you back after the doctor has seen you next week." He watched Penelope go to argue with him in her usual hard headedness. "Not gonna work. You've got a crack rib and a lot of bruising, inside and out, and you've just gotten out of hospital. I can tell you've still got a headache too."

Penelope pouted at him.

"It's all in your eyes, Princess." Derek told her simply, "Everything you're feeling just sits in them and I can read you like an open book."

"I didn't have you down as an avid book reader, Hot Stuff."

"I've got an amazing book," Derek told her, "I don't need any others." He then took her hand and sat her down into the makeshift bed that he had set up for her that morning. He had known since the day before that he was bringing her home today; it was only an overnight stay that the doctor had wanted from her. He also knew how injured she was. He knew it wasn't too bad, but he was the one that had been told to get her home to rest for a couple of days.

He planned to make these the best few days of rest ever.

Making quick work to grab another cold compress he headed back into the living room when the doorbell well went. "I want you to remain seated," He said and helped her get comfortable with the coldness on her aching chest and rib cage. He then stole a kiss before heading for the door down the hallway.

"I mean it, Baby Girl!" He said knowing that she would be up before he was even back. She wasn't an easy one to rest at the best of time. He yanked the door open and his gentle smirk disappeared instantly. "What can I do for you?" He asked, his tone of voice not welcoming.

"Is Penelope here?" Joel asked, his voice entirely slicked with worry as he stood there with Adam and Carl, no George in sight.

"She's resting right now," Derek told them back, blocking the entrance. "Come to make her feel even worse? Or were you done yesterday?" He watched their faces ignite with guilt. "If you're here to leave her in the same mess that you left her in yesterday then I will tell you now, I won't have you in this house. She cried for hours after you left because she thought this was her chance to have you back. She realised that it was her fault alone that you were there, that all those people died. She thinks that is her fault!" Derek felt her anger bubble then, the heat in his chest igniting. "She never should have to feel like that. Penelope is one of the most amazing people in this world and would never, ever put anyone in danger purposefully."

"We know that," Carl started, "We should've known that."

"Enough!" Derek shouted quickly quietly their guilt ridden speech, "She is going to beat herself up about this for a while after this and what George told her yesterday will only make her feel worse. What you should have been more concerned with was that she took two bullets. She could've died trying to save all of you. She put her life on the line for you and you all proved how grateful you were for that."

"It's okay, Derek," Penelope said quietly and calmly from behind him. "I don't want to see them." She spoke heartbrokenly and didn't dare look away from Derek's back. "They were crystal clear yesterday."

"Penelope please!" Joel called out, "Please, give us a chance."

"A chance? Like you gave me a chance yesterday?" Penelope asked and she couldn't withhold the hurt. "You told me you didn't want contact with me and here you are. You blamed me for what happened and I suppose it was, but I didn't ask him to become a psychopath!"

"Pen," Derek said as he left the door open, "You don't need this."

"We work with sicko's all the time, Derek. Does this make me as bad as one of them?" She asked and Derek could see the fear ignited upon her features. "I made him do this."

"Oh no. You do not get to do this," Derek soothed her quickly, leaving the door and the brothers in the opening to get to her. "You are not to blame in this."

"Penny," Joel said as he entered the house uninvited, "I am so sorry for what George said yesterday. I wanted him to stop, everything he told us to argue that it was a good choice was wrong and when I saw you in the hospital, I think I speak for Adam and Carl as well, I knew that I didn't want to walk out of that hospital without knowing that you were a part of my future again."

Penelope looked at her brothers and then at Derek, completely lost. She then turned and left them all.

"Come in," Derek told them, "I'll go talk to her, you three wait in the living room and I'll be back."

The brothers listened as they watched Derek leave. All they were given was an address and Derek's name by Hotch when the team had left not long after the four Garcia brothers had.

Penelope stood in the kitchen with Derek, she was nervous at the prospect of having her brothers back. She was scared of this moment, of having her own family back in her life.

"For the second time in my life something like this is my fault," Penelope cried out and she felt Derek take her in his arms. "B-Battle shot me and that was my fault and now this is my fault."

"Hey-hey, Baby Girl, this does not make it your fault. You weren't to know Garrett would do this. Nor were you to know that Battle was going to shoot you that night."

"No, but he still did it!" Penelope seemed to shout out before she seemed to pause as her chest seized from the stress. "He still did it," She finalised weakly. She meant that ambiguously. That statement wasn't meant for just Garrett, it was also meant for Battle.

"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen," Derek said as he grabbed her in an attempt to steady her. He then took her in his arms and held her tightly, "We are prone to mistakes, Battle is that and we moved on. He is in the past. Garrett was in the past too, but sometime's our pasts rear their heads at us to confront. You confronted him and he's now gone. You cannot start playing the blame game here."

Penelope pulled back and looked at the man before her eyes, the man that truly loved her, that wanted to get her back to her normal self.

"You need to give you brothers a chance, Baby Girl. This is your chance of getting them back." He said and put her hand out to guide her out of the kitchen.

She took his hand and was quickly confronted with her brothers.

"We can start with sorry," Joel said as he watched Penelope step back into the room.

Penelope was given three of her brothers and she knew all she had to do was accept the apology and let go of the past.

As Derek took his spot by her side, she knew that whatever happened.

She always had someone to fall back onto.

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	9. The Man Behind The Disguise

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**A/N: **_Right last chapter guys! I can only apologise for long delays, but this story is about to be wrapped up and hopefully there will be more of the others soon if you're reading them! =)_

_Enjoy, and thank you so much for the reviews!_

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"Might have taken a year, but you finally made it to Emily's Halloween party, Baby," Derek teased as he and Emily walked up to the doorway of Emily's party.

"Well this year we avoided cases and bullets didn't we, Handsome?" Penelope asked him back, "It is kind of tasteless of you to go as Mickey Mouse though you know that right?"

"Well Mamacita," Derek said as he pulled her close to his body, readying to kiss her, "I lost a bet and have to wear this damn thing."

"Teach you to never bet against my brothers then, Sunshine," Penelope said as she stole a kiss and rang the doorbell. "I am still no fan of Mickey Mouse after last year," She commented and handed Derek back the head piece, "Time to suit up though, Hot Stuff."

"One more kiss," He commanded softly to her to which she obeyed and then put the head back on.

The door opened and Emily stood dressed as cat woman, she smirked at the pair who stood shocked.

"Meow!" Penelope responded as she left Derek standing frozen to his spot, "You are looking smoking hot, EP!"

"Thanks, I wasn't going to do this, but you know Reid has the power of persuasion," She teased, snapping back from her catlike grin to her normal personal, "I do feel kind of naked in this."

"Sheer and skin tight, I'm not surprised," Penelope commented and looked back at Derek, "C'mon silent one, get a move on or has the cat got your tongue, Handsome?"

"It's hot in here," Derek commented sparking to life, "Before I saw you in that – I mean you-"

Emily and Penelope started to laugh uncontrollably as Derek gave up and followed them into the house. He had seen a whole new light shone onto Emily Prentiss and wondered what he would have to do to get Penelope into something similar.

Quickly the pair were engulfed by the amount of people in the house and made their way to find the team or Penelope's brothers who were now a pretty big fixture to the team. Derek quickly saw the sparkle of Penelope's wedding and engagement ring as she waved at her brothers and followed her. The moment he thought he had caught up with her, he said his hellos and proved he had worn the costume before disappearing into the crowd for drinks.

"I was contemplating a Mickey Mouse outfit, but I thought that would get me murdered," Adam joked as he watched Derek tried to manoeuvre his way through the groups of people.

Penelope hit her brother's arm playfully before smirking at him, "Haven't you noticed that my lovely husband is parading around as Mickey Mouse due to you?" She pointed out sarcastically.

"I had," Adam conceded with a self assured grin, "It's good to know he knows how to follow through on a bet."

"I actually haven't seen Derek for a good half an hour," Joel commented looking through the crowd. "Where has he gotten to?"

"He's probably cooling off somewhere," Penelope joked and looked around confused as to Derek's whereabouts. "If we don't move he'll find his way back. He always does," She said jokingly and then eyed her brothers up. "So? The three musketeers seems very fitting."

"Neither of us could decide, so we decided to roll with this and so far it's getting a long of good attention," Adam told her as he watched yet another woman go back and fling him a hello. "It's good to know everyone pushed the boat out for this." He added on as his attention came back and he saw his two brothers and sister just looking at him. "Shame on George still having a tantrum over all of this eh?"

"You could say that," Penelope replied with a smile. She showed no hostility to her brother, he had his own life and he didn't want her in it. She still had three brothers that wanted and that was enough. "Emily's mom always throws big dos like this when she's in the country and Emily over there begs us to come for her sanity's sakes." She smiled and put her hands up, "And here we all are."

"I've gotta say the 1950's get up is not at all wasted on you," Carl commented as he checked out his sister's outfit. "Marilyn Monroe eat your heart out."

"What can I say? My husband likes the bedroom eyes, ruby red lips and curves that come with this costume," She winked at them and sunk into easy conversation before she her hand was taken and she was spun around on her spot and pulled close to a masked man.

"Oh, and where have you been all my life?" Penelope asked teasingly as she got lost into Derek's eyes. She hadn't known he was going to get changed, but then she knew he respected her dislike of Mickey Mouse since the previous year and had promised to lose the outfit once he had proved he had worn it.

"You'll have to excuse me," Derek began smoothly, his tone thick with seduction. "Sword play and riding around on horses isn't really my forte nowadays," Derek told her.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Penelope asked spritely, her face illuminated with a smile. She knew exactly who he was, but she wanted to see what type of welcome she would get for playing dumb.

"They call me Zorro," Derek said as he backed off and took Penelope's hand in his, bent down and kissed it all in one fluid movement. "But I guess you can call me..." He paused as he stood back up and leaned in, "Zorro."

"Whatever's easiest, _Zorro_," Penelope whispered and put her hands up to his face as he allowed his arms to hold her and kissed him in front of everyone. She wasn't scared of men in disguises, or of Disney happy ever afters, or of what might roll out with each new case.

The man behind this disguise was one she was going to love for the rest of her life.

The man that would be by her side for whatever, and whenever.

Exactly the way it should have been.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**The End!**

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Man Behind the Disguise -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


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